The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-01
BEATING THE RAILWAYS.
SOME or TIE SCHEMES TO
WHICH SHIPPERS RESORT.
The Supervising Architects Office
A Kansas Phenomenon -Amefi.
can Beef Abroad.

BUREAU OF The mfMPHlb hPPkAL,
No. 514 THIRTEENTH STREET. WASH.
ISaroN, DC, July 2S.-"All the
com . ANTS fled with the inter.
state commissioners seem TO be
those OF sggrieved pairors OF the rsil
roado against the corpora;ions," said a
gentleman connected with one Of the
Southern railroad, to your CORES
pondent to day. "Soms Of the roads
might tell some facts against their pa.
irons which would surprise q great
many people," he continued. You
wou d be surprised 10 tnd what con.
iemptible Bmsllnees' some men will
do to beat q railroad company. Here
10 an instance. The freight rate on
printed material on our line 10 rome
what higher TEAM the rate on blank
paper. One Of the papers In Vir.
ginia which uses the 'pa'ent insides'
was In the habit Of hsviOg
them shipped as black paper
In order that the proprietors
might save q few cents o, freight
charges. We suspected tie plcsy une
fraud, aud proved 1t by missing cou.
nscIions one week, when the propiie.
tors made claim for damages on
paients.'
"Farther South there were q mum.
Der OF merchants who were in the
habit OF buying silverwsre and having
1t shipped as outs and bolts At one
time some Of these eame people in
vented Q nice little game for beating
the railways. They would buy bill
OF goods In New York, and the bill
would be two or three pieces Of silk.
They would diiect that the elk be
keot out Of the box in which the
other goods were packed and 10 sined
Until directions for shipping were for
warded. But the elk was to be charged
In the invoice. They would cam
when the box wss opened thst the
silk had been distracted aud would
produce the invoice 20 substsn,iate
their claim. They would swear to
the invoice, io1. This thing went
ON until the company grew suspicious
because one or two men wOnld nj.
WAYS be shoit. We seat a man on h
the consgnee, and discovered hoy
the neat little game was worked.
There are dozen other similar
schemes for delraudipg the railroade,
but we get on TO them more quickly
lhan we used 10 do"
No man In the public service at the
beginning Of the present adminisna.
ton has left his position with m little
regret from his associates In Office M
Mr.. M. K. Bell, late Sut ervising Arch
itect Of the Treasury. Bell was ap.
pointed from Iowa several years sgo,
rDd at thst time wss pronounced
Republican. To all outward appear.
snce he remained a member OF that
parry Until IL was known beyond
question that Mr.. Cleveland had been
elected to the Presidency. In
October, 1884, this man stated
10 number a gentlemen IN
his Office that II by any posslbls
chance the Democrats should be sue.
ceesful he would at once resign a. be
could not toneent 10 serve uuder n
Democratic administration. No eooner
had the Republican National Commit
tee gwen mp ali hope oi the election OF
Mr.. Baine, than be tjurd IL necss.
ssry 10 travel at once 10 Troy, n. Y.
TO Examine the eits selected for tue
public building there" He told his
ns. ocistes in office tbs, while there be
would take occasion 10 run over TO
Albany 10 "cobRrAtulaie the Cover
nor" II is not recorded that no nc.
oomplished anything for the Govern.
ment while In Troy, hut II 10 known
that he Congratulated the Govtrnor {"
On his return be began 10 play his
cards 10 retain the favor OF tbs vic.
torious Democracy. Senator q lrma1,
OF Indlana, "Bishop" ODerly, OF I'LL.
nos, and other Democratic leaders,
whose favor might be OF value 10 the
supervising architect were allowed 10
dc ate appointments aud removals
10 tbe offse, which was not embraced
In The class fed tervice. Men who
had served the government faithfully
for years and whose dntiee were OF
technical character wers discharged
without warning, and Others often
entirely neompeteut-weie appointed
10 succeed them. Ever thing possible
that could by any chance gain Demo.
cratic supporters for Bell was done.
Within the two years since the inang.
ursiion OF President Cleveland mel airy
every employe Of the Office has been
replaced by others. There 10 not an.
other bureau under the government
where there have been anything like
the changes that have taken place In
the Office OF the Supervising Architect
OF the Treasury. All these changes
have been made either directly or In
directly at the instance OF the alleged
Republican at the head OF the Office.
That he failed TO win the favor that
he expected IL evident from the
fact that Secretary fairchid has,
upon more than one occstiop,
told his friends that the ofiice would
be filled by Democrat Jus. 90 soon as
Q competent man could be found b.
accept the position NJ tho salary Of.
iered. He said further that Il bad
Teen offered 10 q number OF architects
each of whom bad declined In turn
because $500 was not sufficiently at
traotlve 10 induce them 10 leave their
private businefs
The new architect, Mr. FeTett, Of
New odesns. Ia q gentleman OF excel.
lent professional reputation, who ro-
fused 10 sccept the Office when II WAC
hrat offered 10 him. He was faally
pefsuadtd that Il would afford him an
excellent opportunity 10 extend his
reputation 10 all sections Of the coun.
try and this consideration is said 10
have at last induced him 10 take the
place. Ho will doubtless build up the
Office % soon a. be can weed GU, tho
exceedingly incompetent hands
who were appointed by Bell
solely on account Of The political pull
which they gave him. Toe ofiloe 10 Of
far more importance ihsn IA generally
known, a. the supervising architect
has almost unlimited control Of the
expenditure Of millions OF dollars
every year.
Among the many attractive features
of the National Mustnm here there 10
none which 10 more iuie'aatlng 10 the
hundreda a visit0B who enter the